"Revolutions: A Road Trip of 10 Million Landscapes" Fine Art Book

Revolutions is the story of breaking free. The story of escape. The story of leaving urban life and setting out into the wilderness. The story of a month living in a van and exploring the American southwest.

"Revolutions: A Road Trip of 10 Million Landscapes" is the fine art photography book that documents the journey to break free and become nomads.

“Have you ever considered what it would be like to escape your urban life and explore the open road?
If you could press pause on your life, where would you go?
Join internationally published and award winning landscape photographer Kristen Meister as she does exactly that - embarking on a 3,682 mile road trip through the American southwest. Kristen’s fine art landscape photography is sure to capture your heart, while her story of life on the road will have you eager to plan your own escape.
”

— Kristen Meister, "Revolutions"

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Jul 13, 2017 Leica, Photography, Beginner, Pro Tip, Quick Shot, Training behind the photo, Lightroom, Photograph, Photoshop, How To, Elakala Falls, Great Falls, Leica SL, Beginner, Learn, Behind Kristen Meister Comment

Behind-the-Photo: Elakala Falls

Jul 12, 2017 Leica, Quick Shot Blackwater, Blackwater park, Blackwater falls state park, Blackwater falls, blackwater falls state park, Elakala Falls, Elakala falls, Elakala Waterfall, Elakala waterfall, Waterfall, Vincent Versace, Vincent Versace Award Winner, Vincent Versace Award for Photographic Excellence, Leica Sl, SL camera, Leica SL camera, Leica, Panorama, landscape Kristen Meister Comment Blackwater Falls State Park

Revisiting a Memorable Moment

Jul 5, 2017 Leica, Quick Shot Sunset, Leica, Leica SL, Sun, Great Falls, Great Falls National Park, Great Falls Park, Waterfall, Leica camera, pink, july, summer Kristen Meister Comment Great Falls National Park

Summertime Sun

Jun 19, 2017 Quick Shot Kristen Meister Comment

View Over Washington

Jun 19, 2017 Quick Shot Kristen Meister Comment

May 14, 2017 Kristen Meister

Revolutions - The Book

May 14, 2017 Kristen Meister

Apr 9, 2017 Quick Shot Baseball, Washington DC, Black and White Kristen Meister Comment

A Long Overdue Update from Kristen

Apr 9, 2017 Quick Shot Baseball, Washington DC, Black and White Kristen Meister Comment

Mar 15, 2017 Leica, Review Leica, Leica Q, Leica Q Review, Q, Sold, M240, Leica M240, Leica Camera, Sold Leica Q, Leica Q for Sale Kristen Meister Comment

Why I Sold My Leica Q

Mar 15, 2017 Leica, Review Leica, Leica Q, Leica Q Review, Q, Sold, M240, Leica M240, Leica Camera, Sold Leica Q, Leica Q for Sale Kristen Meister Comment

Feb 21, 2017 Leica, Quick Shot, Travel winter, snow, finland, travel, Leica, Leica M240, Summaron Kristen Meister Comment

Winterland

Feb 21, 2017 Leica, Quick Shot, Travel winter, snow, finland, travel, Leica, Leica M240, Summaron Kristen Meister Comment

Feb 21, 2017 Review, Film Adobe Lightroom, RNI Review, Review, Software, RNI All Films, Film Presets, RNI, Film Software, Film, RNI All Films Presets, Lightroom Kristen Meister Comment

Review: RNI All Films 4 Pro

Feb 21, 2017 Review, Film Adobe Lightroom, RNI Review, Review, Software, RNI All Films, Film Presets, RNI, Film Software, Film, RNI All Films Presets, Lightroom Kristen Meister Comment

Feb 7, 2017 Leica, Travel Husky, Huskies, Dog, Dog sled, dogsled, dogsledding, Wilderness, Finland, Lapland, Dogsled Safari, Overnight Dogsled Trip, Winter, Snow, Leica, Travel, Adventure Kristen Meister Comment

A Night Amongst the Dogs

Feb 2, 2017 Leica, Quick Shot, Travel Finland, Finnish, Architecture, Building, Farm, Farmhouse, Red, Travel, Winter, Leica, Leica SL Kristen Meister Comment

Finnish Architecture

Feb 2, 2017 Leica, Quick Shot, Travel Finland, Finnish, Architecture, Building, Farm, Farmhouse, Red, Travel, Winter, Leica, Leica SL Kristen Meister Comment

Feb 2, 2017 Leica, Review Leica, Leica SL, Leica SL Type 601, Leica SL Review, Review, Camera Review, Camera, Leica Camera, Durable Kristen Meister Comment

To Hell And Back: How Durable is the Leica SL?

Feb 2, 2017 Leica, Review Leica, Leica SL, Leica SL Type 601, Leica SL Review, Review, Camera Review, Camera, Leica Camera, Durable Kristen Meister Comment

Feb 1, 2017 Leica, Quick Shot, Travel Aurora, Aurora Borealis, Aurora Finland, Finland, Lapland, Leica, Leica SL, Landscape, Landescape Photography Kristen Meister Comment

Cold Days, Geomagnetic Nights

Feb 1, 2017 Leica, Quick Shot, Travel Aurora, Aurora Borealis, Aurora Finland, Finland, Lapland, Leica, Leica SL, Landscape, Landescape Photography Kristen Meister Comment

Jan 14, 2017 Travel Moving, News, Overseas, Moving Overseas Kristen Meister Comment

Scenic Traverse Photography is Moving!

Jan 14, 2017 Travel Moving, News, Overseas, Moving Overseas Kristen Meister Comment

Jan 8, 2017 Leica, Review Leica, Leica SL, Leica SL Camera, Leica SL Type 601, Leica SL Review, Leica Review, Camera Review, Leica Noise Reduction, Noise Reduction, Star Trails, LENR, Night, Nighttime Kristen Meister Comment

The Leica SL Is Not A Perfect Camera (But It Could Be!)

Jan 7, 2017 Road Trip Escape, Escape Campervans, Campervan, Camper, Camping, Road Trip, ST Road Trip Kristen Meister Comment

Review: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About an Escape Campervan

Jan 7, 2017 Road Trip Escape, Escape Campervans, Campervan, Camper, Camping, Road Trip, ST Road Trip Kristen Meister Comment

Jan 5, 2017 Road Trip Camper, Van, Road Trip Kristen Meister Comment

ST Road Trip: Tour our Van (Video)

Jan 5, 2017 Road Trip Camper, Van, Road Trip Kristen Meister Comment

Jan 5, 2017 Road Trip, Leica Big Sur, Road Trip Kristen Meister Comment

ST Road Trip: Big Sur Update

Jan 5, 2017 Road Trip, Leica Big Sur, Road Trip Kristen Meister Comment

Jan 3, 2017 Road Trip, Leica Kristen Meister Comment

ST Road Trip: Lake Tahoe Update

Jan 3, 2017 Road Trip, Leica Kristen Meister Comment

Jan 2, 2017 Road Trip, Leica Death Valley, Road Trip Kristen Meister Comment

ST Road Trip: New Year's Update

Jan 2, 2017 Road Trip, Leica Death Valley, Road Trip Kristen Meister Comment

Reviewed & Previewed

Newest Posts

Behind-the-Photo: Elakala Falls

May 14, 2017 Kristen Meister

Revolutions - The Book

May 14, 2017 Kristen Meister

Mar 15, 2017 Leica, Review Leica, Leica Q, Leica Q Review, Q, Sold, M240, Leica M240, Leica Camera, Sold Leica Q, Leica Q for Sale Kristen Meister Comment

Why I Sold My Leica Q

Mar 15, 2017 Leica, Review Leica, Leica Q, Leica Q Review, Q, Sold, M240, Leica M240, Leica Camera, Sold Leica Q, Leica Q for Sale Kristen Meister Comment

Feb 21, 2017 Review, Film Adobe Lightroom, RNI Review, Review, Software, RNI All Films, Film Presets, RNI, Film Software, Film, RNI All Films Presets, Lightroom Kristen Meister Comment

Review: RNI All Films 4 Pro

Feb 21, 2017 Review, Film Adobe Lightroom, RNI Review, Review, Software, RNI All Films, Film Presets, RNI, Film Software, Film, RNI All Films Presets, Lightroom Kristen Meister Comment

Feb 2, 2017 Leica, Review Leica, Leica SL, Leica SL Type 601, Leica SL Review, Review, Camera Review, Camera, Leica Camera, Durable Kristen Meister Comment

To Hell And Back: How Durable is the Leica SL?

Feb 2, 2017 Leica, Review Leica, Leica SL, Leica SL Type 601, Leica SL Review, Review, Camera Review, Camera, Leica Camera, Durable Kristen Meister Comment

The Leica SL Is Not A Perfect Camera (But It Could Be!)

Jan 7, 2017 Road Trip Escape, Escape Campervans, Campervan, Camper, Camping, Road Trip, ST Road Trip Kristen Meister Comment

Review: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About an Escape Campervan

Jan 7, 2017 Road Trip Escape, Escape Campervans, Campervan, Camper, Camping, Road Trip, ST Road Trip Kristen Meister Comment

Sep 27, 2016 Leica, Review Leica, Leica SL, Leica SL Type 601 Review, Leica SL Type 601, Leica SL App, App, Apple app, Apple, Camera control, Leica camera control, Leica shutter release, Leica SL cable release, Leica SL shutter release Kristen Meister Comment

The Officially Unofficial Leica SL App Users Guide

Sep 14, 2016 Film, Photography, Beginner large format, Large format photography, large format film, Zone VI, Ebony camera, film, film photography, learning large format photography, tips for large format photography, LF photography, 4x5, 4x5 film, Zone System, Film Scanner Kristen Meister Comment

"What's That?" 10 Things Every Large Format Photographer Should Know....

Sep 12, 2016 Leica, Review Wontancraft, Wontancraft Ryker, Ryker, Camera Bag, camera bag review, Leather, Wontancraft bag, wontancraft camera bag review, wontancraft review, ryker review, leather camera bag, messenger bag, leather messenger bag, Leica camera bag, Leica bag, Camera bag for Leica, Wotancraft, Wotancraft Camera Bag, Wotancraft Ryker, Wotancraft leather camera bag, Wotancraft bag review Kristen Meister Comment

Review: Wotancraft Ryker Messenger Bag

Scenic Traverse Photography by Kristen Meister

Award Winning & Internationally Published Photographer

Kristen's interest in art started at a young age, when she got her first film camera as a Christmas gift from her dad. It took a special 110 film, which is virtually impossible to purchase today. She loved riding with her parents to the drive-through film processing shop to pick up her photographs - there was so much excitement in opening the folio to see the pictures from a family vacation. The anticipation and excitement she experienced as a kid with film photography had her hooked!

The name Scenic Traverse Photography came about in 2011 to reflect Kristen's adventure seeking spirit and her love of hiking, scenery, and the outdoors.

In 2015, Kristen's photography evolved to a new chapter - in a moment of clarity she sold the overwhelming majority of her digital equipment and moved to a Leica system for all her digital images. She currently owns and regularly shoots three Leica cameras:

Leica SL Type 601
Leica Monochrom Type 246
Leica M Type 240

While Kristen eagerly embraces digital technology, she also creates much of her artwork with traditional analog film. Her collection of film cameras includes an Ebony RSW45 large format camera, a Hasselblad 503CX, two 1970s era Rolleiflex TLR cameras, a Zone VI 4x5 camera, and a Shen Hao 9x16 panorama for large format film. Kristen also carries a Leica M4 for street photography, and develops her own film in her studio using traditional darkroom processes. Her preference is for Kodak color films and Ilford black and white film.

Kristen is a graduate of Virginia Tech (undergraduate) and Penn State University (post-graduate). In 2014, Kristen and her husband (The Photo Sherpa) moved to the Cambridge area in the United Kingdom, spending three years in the UK before moving back to Washington, DC in 2017.

“Winner of the 2014 Vincent Versace Award for Photographic Excellence.
Internationally published photographer with works appearing in print, online, and on television.”

FROM @ScenicTraversePhoto ON INSTAGRAM

It is amazing what a difference a few years makes. Photography, like any craft or art, is a growth. Look at the works of any famous photographer, painter, or musician and you will see history remembers them in phases.

And while I don't dare compare myself to the greats, I can still see huge evolution in my own photography. I spend more time looking at the light, looking for 'moments' and waiting for something special than I did before. I have a better understanding of the capabilities of my cameras and how to generate incredible results from them. And I have a more refined understanding of light.

All of this translates in my photographs, and I recently revisited a place where I took a photograph that was very special to me and attempted to elevate it.
The location? Blackwater Falls State Park in West Virginia. In 2013, I visited the park and made a photograph that would later win the honors for the 2014 @vincent_versace Award for Photographic Excellence. As a result, that location has been a special spot for me, but I had not been back since. I recently felt like I had grown enough as a photographer to revisit the location and wanted to see what sort of image I could create now. This is the result.

This photograph is actually a panorama of five images that took nearly 30 minutes of on-scene shooting with my @leica_camera SL to create. Everything in the image is authentic - including the swirl of water - and required the full extent of my photographic know-how to accomplish. I'm very proud of the revised image, and hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed creating it. @leicastoredc @leicacamerausa #landscape #landscapephotography #outdoors #wanderlust #waterfall #leica #photooftheday #photography #adventure #leicasl #blackwaterfalls #elakalafalls #westvirginia #wv

I am forever mesmerized by the natural colors of our planet. Take a sandstone canyon, mix with centuries of flash flooding and wind, add a dash of winter sun, and voila! You have this incredible slot canyon with enchanting curves and smooth colors. Taken with the @leica_camera SL. #photography #landscape #landscapelover #outdoors #nature #earth #canyon #slotcanyon #antelopecanyon #arizona #sun #photooftheday #adventure #leica #wanderlust

It is the 4th of July, which means summer is in full swing. The warm weather and late evening sun can do some crazy things to the sky, as seen in this July photo of Great Falls National Park on the outskirts of Washington, DC. The late humidity, mist from the falls, and whispy clouds created a very dramatic and vibrant sunset. I have been to Great Falls dozens of times, but this is no doubt my favorite photograph of the falls to date. It is that summer magic! Taken with the @leica_camera SL and 24-90mm lens. This is a five image panorama taken with a 32ND filter and stabilized with my favorite @gitzoinspires tripod. @leicastoredc @leicacamerausa @greatfallsparkvanps #landscapelovers #landscapephotography #landscape #july #july4th #sunset #pink #instagood #photography #photooftheday #leica #leicasl #waterfall

@leica_camera SL mounted on a @canonusa 400mm f/2.8 modified to Leica R mount. That's the beauty of the @leicacamerausa SL.... you can mount almost any lens and get incredible results. Can't wait to turn the lens loose on some wildlife! @leicastoredc #leica #leicasl #longlens #canon #telephoto #400mm #photography #photographer #camera #cameras #cameraporn #wildlifephotography #scenictraverse @leicarumors

@leica_camera asked to see photos featuring the color #blue. Okay, how's this?! Moss and rot on a log in Northern California had a blue tint in the early morning sun. My @leicacamerausa SL and I feasted on the color and texture. #leicasl #leica #LeicaColorfulWeeks #colorful #leicacamera #nature #macro #wanderlust #🔴📷

Everything looks beautiful when covered in a thick blanket of snow...... a farm house in Torassieppi, Finland. Photographed with the @leica_camera SL. #adventure #leica #leicasl #winter #snow #travel #farm #landscape #landscapephotography #outdoors #Finland #lapland #cold #wanderlust #photooftheday #travelgram

Most of the homes and buildings in Finnish Lapland are painted the same color of red. It's a gorgeous shade of red, and when surrounded with fresh white snow, all the buildings look like they were plucked from a winter picture book. I am drawn to photograph these red painted walls, especially when the wooden planks are visible, and this particular wall caught my attention because of the thin layer of snow and ice that had frozen to the sides. It is a great representation of the snow and paint duo that I just can't resist! Taken with the @leica_camera SL. #red #finland #lapland #paint #walls #color #winter #snow #travel #macro #detail #explore #landscape #leica #leicasl #wanderlust #photography #travelgram @leicauk

I have been very lucky this week to witness several spectacular showings of the Aurora Borealis. The northern lights are the result of solar gases hitting the atmosphere (ok, that's the overly simplified science) and aurora activity can be forecasted several days in advance by monitoring solar winds. For the layman, scientists use the KP scale to describe the intensity, with 1 being weakest and KP9 being the best. Before this week I had only ever seen KP2/3 showings, which are most common and still pretty spectacular. But this week we had two nights of high intensity activity registering KP5! In the photos it's hard to tell the difference, but it's very obvious to us. I used exposures of 10+ seconds with KP2-3 storms and have been shooting this week at 4 seconds! It's incredibly bright and fast moving, so every photo is really different- so choosing which to share is even harder. Taken with the @leica_camera SL and 21mm lens. #adventure #leicasl #leica #travel #travelphotography #northernlights #aurora #auroraborealis #night #kp5 #optoutside #winter #finland #wanderlust #photooftheday #landscapephotography @leicauk @harriniva_official @the_aurora_zone

Winter is such a fun season to photograph, because it can be so challenging. The landscape is all white, so I can focus on capturing the little details and textures that make winter so special. The color comes at night when the northern lights turn the landscape neon green! Photo with the @leica_camera SL. #adventure #leicasl #leica #outdoors #optoutside #winter #snow #wanderlust #finland #lapland #blackandwhite #landscape #landscapephotography #abstract #photooftheday @leicacamerausa @leicauk @harriniva_official

Nothing is more spectacular than this! A geomagnetic storm erupting in the sky - otherwise known as an exceptional display of the Aurora Borealis in the far north of Finland. Storms of this intensity (KP5) are fairly uncommon, making the experience even more incredible. Photographed with the @leica_camera SL and 21mm f/3.4 lens. #aurora #auroraborealis #northernlights #finland #lapland #adventure #optoutside #nature #green #leica #leicasl #arctic #landscape #landscapephotography #night #nightsky #wanderlust #photography #photooftheday #snow #instagood @harriniva_official @leicauk @leicacamerausa

Things worth Protecting: Dried mud flats in Death Valley National Park - taken with @leica_camera SL. #adventure #leicasl #leica #st_roadtrip #optoutside #outdoors #mud #landscape #landscapephotography #detail #macro #photoofday #explore #deathvalley #nps #doi @deathvalleynps @nationalparkservice @leicauk

Looking through an abandoned home in a mining area of Nevada, shot with the @leica_camera SL. #adventure #leica #st_roadtrip #leicasl #nevada #abandoned #urbandecay #mine #mining #travel #explore #wanderlust #photooftheday #window #home @leicauk

When I close my eyes, I can transport myself back to the morning I took this photograph. We got up at 3am to drive out for the first light and were well rewarded with a spectacular sunrise. It started purple, morphed to pink, and finished with a brilliant orange. This was just seconds before the sun rose over the horizon...... incredible. Shot with the @leica_camera SL. #wanderlust #photooftheday #hiking #optoutside #monumentvalley #themitten #landscape #landscapephotography #outdoors #sunrise #sun #color #instadaily #goodmorning #st_roadtrip #leica #leicasl #arizona #adventure @leicauk @leicacamerausa @natgeotravel

Small plants growing out of the rocks on the side of the canyon walls. These plants don't get their water source from the nearby Virgin River, they actually survive on water that squeezes out from the rocks themselves. Geologists estimate that it took 1,000 years for the water coming out of the rocks to finally reach the surface! One of the many things that makes a hike in the Narrows of Zion National Park so special! Taken with the @leica_camera SL. #st_roadtrip #travel #outdoors #landscape #landscapephotography #leica #leicasl #adventure #zion #zionnarrows #zionnationalpark #doi #nps #optoutside #hiking #photooftheday #wanderlust @leicauk @leicacamerausa @zionnps

Pelican rock - some days it's good to fly solo, some days it's good to be in a group. #outdoors #leicasl #leica #pelican #beach #bird #ocean #waves #white #birds #optoutside #landscapephotography #landscape #photooftheday #wanderlust #pacificocean #pacificcoasthwy #travel #st_roadtrip #adventure #california

"We travel not to escape life, but so that life does not escape us." Down the path with some giant redwoods in California. Taken with @leica_camera SL. #wanderlust #st_roadtrip #adventure #explore #hiking #optoutside #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #photooftheday #muirwoods #leica #leicasl @leicauk #trees #forrest #outdoors

A Joshua Tree backlit by a spectacular sunrise.... this was from our first day on the #ST_Roadtrip! Still a little jet lagged, we crawled out of our @escapecampervans in time to catch the desert sky turn spectacularly pink. It was a good omen of photographic opportunities to come! I have updated my website with the latest from the trip, link in bio. Taken with the @leica_camera SL. #adventure #drama #sunrise #sun #goodmorning #pink #joshuatree @joshuatreenps #doi #nationalparks @nationalparktrust @nationalparkservice #photography #photoofday #instadaily #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside @natgeotravel #travel #explore #leica #leicasl @leicauk @leicacamerausa #roadtrip #vanlife

Swirls in the sandstone rock of Antelope Canyon - the most famous slot canyon in Arizona and part of the Navajo Tribal Areas. We got super lucky and practically had the whole canyon to ourselves, which is very rare. Most photographers use a tripod to get sharp images as the canyons are very dark, but I was able to hand-hold the @leica_camera SL at incredibly slow shutter speeds (1/8th and 1/4 seconds!) and still get sharp images. Never could hand-hold images that slow with my Nikons.... God bless mirrorless cameras! #outdoors #optoutside #longexposure #wave #rock #canyon #slotcanyon #page #antelopecanyon #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #photooftheday #orange #explore #camera #leica #leicasl #instagood #drama #st_roadtrip #adventure #wanderlust #curves @leicacamerausa @leicauk @natgeotravel @theoutbound

Waves crash around some natural rock formations at El Matador Beach in Malibu, California. I crawled under the rock arch with my @leica_camera SL and crouched rather uncomfortably to position myself and the camera so the rock arch created the framing for this image. The Leica SL camera was mounted on my @gitzoinspires GT2531 tripod with the 24-90mm lens and I used a neutral density filter to get a long exposure. This is one of those images where the right equipment is everything - without a strong tripod, the camera would sink into the wet sand, and the right filters really help make the shot. This beach was the last spot we visited before packing up the #st_roadtrip. #photography #leicasl #photooftheday #instadaily #landscape #landscapephotography #wanderlust #ocean #malibu #malibubeach #elmatadorbeach #longexposure #leica #waves #beach #optoutside #outdoors #adventure #roadtrip #gitzo #tripod @leicauk @leicacamerausa